3 visuals for webpage

This code will help produce the three visuals that are going to be a part of each equity tracker indicator webpage: regional map (tract level) of most recent data, chart of the most recent data, chart of trends over time.

If the indicator is a PUMS/OPSI indicator that can be accessed through Elmer. Getting the data to a workable version may require some data transformation. To explore, clean, transform, and generate a final data set, please use the data-gen-pums-template. This script will generate an .rda for the map and an .rda for the charts. These data sets will be loaded in before the data visualization code.

Indicator Explanation

Median gross rent measures the average rent for the location, in this case being census tract, and “median” indicates that the middle value in between the census tracts highest gross rent and lowest gross rent is what represents the median gross rent value. Oftentimes, a higher median gross rent can indicate that some families and households are priced out of an area, limiting options of living close to transit, in neighborhoods with good schools, and limiting opportunity and access.

1. Map of most recent data

To map data in this form, it requires accessing data at the regional/tract level from ACS since the Elmer data set is already aggregated to equity group/quintile.

Create Visual

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2021 5-Year Estimates; U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division 2020 TIGER/Line Shapefiles



Data call outs

  1. $1,680: Regional median gross rent
  2. $3,500: Highest median gross rent (seven tracts in King County)
  3. $620: Lowest median gross rent (in Pierce County)*


Insights & Analysis

  • King County has the highest median gross rent ($1,800), followed by Snohomish ($1,640), and Kitsap and Pierce (both $1,440)
  • Ten census tracts tied with the highest median gross rent ($3,500) are all in King County: three in southern Mercer Island, two in Clyde Hill/Hunts Point/Medina/Yarrow Point, two in Bellevue, two in Sammamish, and one in southwestern Bainbridge Island
  • The highest median gross rent in Pierce, Kitsap, and Snohomish County are: in the far eastern portion of Pierce county near Issaquah ($3,110), in the southwestern portion of Bainbridge ($3,500), and southern Mulkiteo ($3,400)
  • *The two census tracts with the lowest median gross rent are in Pierce County, where Tacoma Housing Authority properties are located: Arlington Drive Youth Campus and Salishan Family Investment Center ($620); Hillside Terrace 1500 Block and The Rise at 19th ($740)



2. Facet of most recent data

Create Visual

Median Gross Rent

values are adjusted to 2021 dollars

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2021 5-Year Estimates; U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division 2020 TIGER/Line Shapefiles

Data call outs

  1. $500: Median gross rent for households in the region living below 200% of federal poverty level is $500 less those living above
  2. $300: English proficient households in the region pay $300 more than limited English proficient households
  3. $200: Regional median gross rent for those with children is $300 higher than those without


Insights & Analysis

  • People of color in Snohomish, Pierce, and Kitsap counties are paying the same median gross rent as white non-Hispanic households, while in King County, white non-Hispanic households are paying $100 more in rent than people of color
  • For households living below 200% of poverty level, King County households are paying the most at ($1,700), followed by Snohomish ($1,600), Pierce ($1,500), and Kitsap ($1,400)
  • Households with children (youth under 18 years) are paying the most in King County ($2,300), followed by Snohomish ($2,100), then Kitsap and Pierce counties ($1,900)
  • These insights may indicate that while people and households are paying more in median gross rent than their counterparts, it may mean that those within the select demographic groups cannot afford higher-rent homes



3. Facet of trend data

Create Visual

Median Gross Rent

values are adjusted to 2021 dollars

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2021 5-Year Estimates; U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division 2020 TIGER/Line Shapefiles

Data call outs

  1. 150%: Households in the region living below 200% of federal poverty line paid 150% more in 2021 than in 2011
  2. $100: Regionally, people of color spend an average $100 less in median gross rent than white non-Hispanic households, a gap which has remained relatively consistent in King County in the last ten years, but has narrowed in Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish counties
  3. 100%: Median gross rent of households in the region with older adults is $400 lower than households without older adults, an increase of 100% from 2011


Insights & Analysis

  • Median gross rent has consistently increased across the entire region from 2011 to 2021
  • Median gross rent of households (regardless of income) stayed relatively static in Kitsap and Pierce County over time, while median gross rent of households increased greatly in King County (more than 55% for households who are below 200% of federal poverty level and 64% for those living above)
  • Similarly, in Snohomish County, households living below 200% of poverty level are paying 45% more than they did in 2011 and 54% more for those living above
  • The gap in median gross rent between people with a disability compared to those living without remained relatively consistent in all counties (from 2016 to 2021)



Transfer files

Copy files from Github > Y drive

Copy files from Y drive > website folder

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